About Me

Hi, my name is Steven Adkins and I wanted to welcome you to my construction and contractors blog. I have always enjoyed building things and one of my first projects was a dog house that I built when I was 15 years old. When I built the dog house, I had to make sure that all my measurements were correct and that I cut all the pieces to the exact size. After this project was completed I realized how difficult it must be to build a large structure, such as a house or a commercial building. My interest in construction grew so I started learning about this job and how houses and buildings are constructed. I still read information today and I'm still amazed at how fast a construction crew can put up a building. I hope you like reading my blog and learning about construction and contractors.

Spring is here, and with the spring season comes the spring showers. And those are followed by summer showers, and even hurricanes or monsoons, depending on your location. Keeping your roof intact and protected from leaks is an important part of maintaining a commercial building. You want to make sure that your interior spaces stay dry, and if you live in an area that experiences severe spring and summer storms, you definitely need to put extra effort into protecting your building's roof. Take a look at some tips that can help.

Proactive Inspections

Inspections are vital to keeping your roof in good repair. You can start by checking yourself for any obvious leaks, missing tiles, or loose fascia boards. You should still have a professional inspection each spring, but if you notice any glaring problems yourself, you'll be able to arrange for repairs as well.

After you've had an inspection and any necessary repairs, take pictures of your roof in great condition. Then way, you can compare what it looks like now to what it looks like after a storm – this will give you a good idea of how drastically a particularly heavy storm has affected your roof.

After-Storm Cleanup

Heavy storms and wind bring destruction, and even well-maintained roofs can be affected. It's important to check the roof for damage, like loose gutters or flashing, after any severe storm. Lightning rods can be knocked down by heavy wind or debris, so make sure that yours are still in place.

Wind also tends to bring garbage with it, and you don't want that to accumulate on your roof either. Look behind rooftop HVAC equipment and skylights, inside of pipes, and in any valleys in the roof. Your gutters are also more likely to get clogged during the rainy season, so make sure that you're having them checked and cleaned out regularly. When the gutters clog, water can back up and pool on the roof, weakening it. Gutters clogged with standing water are also inviting to insects and pests.

Have an Emergency Plan

What will you do if lightning strikes your roof? What if a section of roof is torn off during a hurricane? Sometimes, no matter how carefully you prepare, these things happen. You need an emergency plan to ensure that your building and its occupants are prepared for a disaster.

You should have a plan of action to get employees or residents out of your building in the event of a storm disaster. Protective equipment, like plastic sheeting, duct tape, plywood, sand bags, and tools should be on hand when you know that a storm is coming. Check to make sure that your building's insurance is up to date and make sure that you're fully protected in the event of a storm. Keep your roofing contractor's information in a safe place so that in the event of storm damage, you can quickly schedule repairs.

Your building's roof is its first line of defense against storm damage, so make sure that it's up to the job. Ask your roofing contractor how you can best protect your roof against the rainy season.

For commercial roofing repair, contact a company such as Bell Roof Co.